Tastes Are Subjective But This List Is Objective
“Music is like a box of chocolates,” Forrest Gump could have maybe said in an alternate universe where quotes are slightly different from our own. The point is, you never know what you might get with music and who might like it. What makes a song a hit? Can we objectively quantify which songs are the best in history?
Thanks to science, we’re ready to share an objective list of the absolute best songs ever written. The songs are ranked based on a combination of impressive data: their sales, their Billboard performance, and the amount of cover versions ever made. With that data out of the way, get ready to sing along.
40. “Penny Lane” By The Beatles (1967)
The Beatles kick off our list. “Penny Lane” was written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. The song is about the things McCartney saw while growing up near a street in Liverpool named, you guessed it, Penny Lane. See if you can count how many times The Beatles land a spot on this “best songs ever” list.
39. “Billie Jean” By Michael Jackson (1983)
Written by Michael Jackson, “Bille Jean” is about a man who denies he is the father of a woman’s son. Jackson says he got the inspiration from what the Jackson 5 groupies claimed about his older brothers.
38. “The Rose” By Bette Midler (1980)
Amanda McBroom wrote “The Rose”, but Bette Midler recorded it for the film The Rose (1979). A more comedic arena in which this song appears is in the film Napoleon Dynamite.
Paramount, Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
37. “Pumped Up Kicks” By Foster The People (2010)
Mark Foster wrote this very pleasantly happy-sounding pop song, yet its theme is anything but pleasant. It tells a sadly dark story of a troubled youth with dangerous thoughts in its lyrics.
36. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” By The Shirelles (1960)
This was the first ever song by an African-American girl group to hit the Billboard charts. Not only is it a classic, but this actually made musical history. Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, The Shirelles were the first to record it.
Universal Attractions (management) on Wikimedia
35. “I’m A Believer” By The Monkees (1966)
Would it surprise you to learn that “I’m a Believer” was written by Neil Diamond, writer and singer of “Sweet Caroline”? While Diamond wrote the track, The Monkees made it famous. There have been many cover versions done, including one that many, may have heard in the movie Shrek.
34. “What A Wonderful World” By Louis Armstrong (1967)
Written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, Louis Armstrong made "What a Wonderful World" come to life. His first recording of the song was done live in 1959. A studio version of the song was put to tape in 1967, and humankind is better for it.
33. “Oh, Pretty Woman” By Roy Orbison (1964)
Written by Roy Orbison and Bill Dees, “Oh, Pretty Woman” was a huge success for Orbison’s career, selling over seven million copies. Orbison got the idea for the title from a conversation he and Dees were having with his wife.
32. “We Can Work It Out” By The Beatles (1965)
The Beatles are at it again with “We Can Work It Out”. McCartney and Lennon worked together to work this song out, which was unusual for them at this time in their career. It is said that McCartney had the words and music for the verses and chorus, and Lennon came up with the bridge.
31. “Mrs Robinson” By Simon & Garfunkel (1968)
Written by Paul Simon, “Mrs Robinson” references the baseball pro, Joe DiMaggio. Did you know Frank Sinatra covered this hit?
Eddie Mallin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
30. “Imagine” By John Lennon (1971)
“Imagine” was the most successful single of Lennon’s solo work. The power behind the song sits in its lyrics, which encourage the world to unite and live in peace and harmony, free from the institutions and vices that plague so many.
29. “Downtown” By Petula Clark (1964)
Written by Tony Hatch, “Downtown” hit number one for its upbeat feel and lyrics describing going "downtown" to escape the pressures of daily life. Did you know this song opens up the first episode of season 3 of Lost?
28. “When A Man Loves A Woman” By Percy Sledge (1966)
Written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, what makes this song a hit is the way Percy Sledge masterfully sings those opening words. The song has been covered many times, but Sledge’s version was listed as 53rd in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Carol M. Highsmith on Wikimedia
27. “I Can See Clearly Now” By Johnny Nash (1972)
“I Can See Clearly Now” was written and performed by Johnny Nash himself. The song features influences from reggae, likely due to the fact that Nash had worked with Bob Marley on previous projects.
26. “Lose Yourself” By Eminem (2002)
The 2002 film 8 Mile, starring Eminem, features the song “Lose Yourself”. Eminem wrote the song, and the lyrics describe the background of the character he plays in the movie.
Eminem - Lose Yourself [HD] by msvogue23
25. “The Letter” By The Box Tops (1967)
Written by Wayne Carson, The Box Tops recorded “The Letter” and reached international success through the catchy tune. Lead singer Alex Chilton sang in a gruff style that helped the track gain such popularity.
24. “Eye Of The Tiger” By Survivor (1982)
The song was written to be the theme song for Rocky III and people of all ages have been bobbing their heads to this overwhelmingly popular song ever since.
Sylvester Stallone, director and star of the film, originally wanted to use “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, but when they said no, he asked Survivor to write this hit. We're glad he did.
Rocky III (1982), United Artists
23. “Time After Time” By Cyndi Lauper (1984)
Named by many different reviewers and publications from Rolling Stone to MTV as one of the greatest pop songs of all time, this love song sticks with you, time after time. Cyndi Lauper got the title from a film she saw listed in TV Guide, namely Time After Time (1979).
22. “Just The Way You Are” By Billy Joel (1977)
Billy Joel said that the melody and chords for this hit came to him in a dream. So in line with his lyrics, he must not have had to work “that” hard on this—one of the world’s most popular ever songs.
21. “Come Together” By The Beatles (1969)
“Come Together”, written by John Lennon, had its initial form take shape when Timothy Leary, who was running for office in California, asked Lennon to write him a song for his campaign. The song morphed quite a bit after that initial conception and turned into an upbeat track based on Chuck Berry’s 1956 single, “You Can’t Catch Me”.
ingen uppgift, Wikimedia Commons
20. “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” By Nancy Sinatra (1966)
Written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by Nancy Sinatra, this song was made for getting stuck in your head. What's interesting is that the cover versions of this song pop up in all kinds of different genres: from metal to punk rock.
19. “Can’t Buy Me Love” By The Beatles (1964)
Paul McCartney wrote “Can’t Buy Me Love” and the song featured in the film A Hard Day’s Night. McCartney wrote the song while staying at a five-star hotel in Paris, on a piano he requested be brought up into the room.
United Press International, Wikimedia Commons
18. “Wichita Lineman” By Glen Campbell (1968)
Written by Jimmy Webb and recorded by Glen Campbell, the genre is “country pop” or “country rock”, but the song feels so much deeper, wider, and timeless than any one category would allow. Webb’s lyrical inspiration came from driving through the plains of Oklahoma.
17. “Stand By Me” By Ben E King (1961)
A classic, covered in the studio hundreds of times by everyone from John Lennon to Weezer, this song feels like it will always be a classic, from now to forever. Written by Ben E King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, the title was inspired by the song “Stand by Me Father” by the Soul Stirrers.
Flickr user J&R Music World on Wikimedia
16. “Help!” By The Beatles (1965)
When asked about the song “Help!”, John Lennon said, “The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help”. It has been said that the speedy success of the Beatles led to stress and even depression for Lennon.
15. “Something” By The Beatles (1969)
Featured on the album Abbey Road, “Something” was written by George Harrison. Many view this piece by Harrison, along with “Here Comes the Sun,” as proof that he had become as proficient as Lennon and McCartney as a songwriter.
14. “Eleanor Rigby” By The Beatles (1966)
It was 1966 when the Beatles recorded “Eleanor Rigby” in the studio. It was this song that helped to push the band into becoming more of a studio-based experimental group. With lyrics about loneliness and emotionally compelling string arrangements, it shattered the traditional idea of what a pop song could be.
13. “Happy” By Pharrell Williams (2013)
This instant pop hit is both catchy and “Happy”. Did you know that “Happy” first appeared on the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2? It is an uptempo soul track featuring vocals performed in falsetto, drawing comparisons to Curtis Mayfield.
12. “The Sound Of Silence” By Simon & Garfunkel (1965)
When Simon & Garfunkel auditioned this song for Columbia Records, it got them the record deal. Where the song came from is unclear. Some say that it was commenting on the assassination of JFK. Simon said he wrote the song in his bathroom when he was 21. “Because the bathroom had tiles, it was a slight echo chamber”, he recounts.
Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, Wikimedia Commons
11. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” By The Beatles (1963)
This was the first Beatles record made using a four-track recorder, which was a very exciting development for the time. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was the first song by The Beatles that hit number one in America.
United Press International, Wikimedia Commons
10. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” By Elvis Presley (1961)
The King of Rock and Roll. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. It was originally written from a woman’s perspective. In its original form, the line was “I can’t help falling in love with him.”
That beautiful melody is based on a French love song from 1784 (a close one, yes, they narrowly avoided any infringement lawsuit there).
9. “Ain’t No Sunshine” By Bill Withers (1971)
Bill Withers wrote “Ain’t No Sunshine” after he saw the movie Days of Wine and Roses (1962). In 2024, the song was added to the National Recording Registry for being, as the Library of Congress put it, “culturally, historically, and/or aesthetically significant”.
Columbia Records, Wikimedia Commons
8. “Let It Be” By The Beatles (1970)
McCartney wrote “Let It Be”, and it was the group’s last single before he announced he would be leaving The Beatles. McCartney has said he had an intense dream about his mother during some stressful recording sessions in 1968, and that is where the inspiration for “Let It Be” came from.
7. “Bohemian Rhapsody” By Queen (1975)
Written by Freddie Mercury, this song is an incredible adventure. Despite being progressive rock with unusual sections, lack of a chorus, and other normal "popular" musical things, it has proved to be unfathomably successful in the mainstream. The song was featured in Wayne’s World (1992), which led to a resurgence of popularity for Queen in the US.
6. “Bad Romance” By Lady Gaga (2009)
“Bad Romance” was written by Lady Gaga and produced with RedOne. The song has been praised for its hook, beat, and chorus. The inspiration for the peculiar nature of the sounds in the song came from German house and techno music.
5. “All Of Me” By John Legend (2013)
Dedicated to John Legend’s wife Chrissy Teigen, “All of Me” is a simple piano ballad, delicately played, and it quickly peaked at number one. The music video for the song was filmed in Italy only days before Legend’s wedding, and the completed music video even features footage from their real wedding.
PopTech, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
4. “Hey Jude” By The Beatles (1968)
“Hey Jude” clocks in at over 7 minutes in length, which was extremely unusual for a single of the time. The song was written by Paul McCartney. Its original form was “Hey Jules”, a song that McCartney wrote to comfort Lennon’s son Julian over his parent’s recent breakup.
3. “Rolling In The Deep” By Adele (2010)
“Rolling in the Deep” is the third-best song ever written of all time according to this objectively scientific list of hits. Adele calls the song a “dark blues-y gospel disco tune”. Written by Adele and Paul Epworth, it was the track that shot Adele into superstardom.
2. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” By Simon & Garfunkel (1970)
Welcome to the second-best song ever written of all time, “Bridge over Troubled Water”. This is Simon & Garfunkel’s most successful single and even is considered the song that best encapsulates who they are.
As one of the most performed songs of the 20th century, it is easy to understand why this classic sits at number two.
Rob Bogaerts / Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
1. “Yesterday” By The Beatles (1965)
“Yesterday” is one of the most covered songs in history, with at least 2,200 versions recorded by other artists. The song was written by Paul McCartney and is about a relationship break-up. McCartney is the only Beatles member to sing or play on the recording.
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